Everyday flexibility.

I usually have my day off on Friday. However, with a bit of notice I can easily change the day. This is extremely practical for us, and also helps my wife, who is currently completing a demanding course of study. This is why flexibility in our professional lives is very important to us.

I make use of “Work Smart” every day, as I have to move about as part of my job. I can set myself up in an SBB building anywhere in Switzerland and concentrate on my work, so everywhere can be my office. Three quarters of my job consists of office work, meetings, and telephone conversations. I spend the rest of my time on site in the industrial workshops, service facilities, or working on the fleet. That’s why, for me, being able to work on the train whilst on the move is worth its weight in gold.

Part-time with responsibility.

Interaction within the team and with my supervisor works very smoothly. This means that I can work part-time with real peace of mind. I am also given the opportunity to take part in conferences, lectures and further training and so, despite the part-time workload, I can develop as a professional. At the moment, SBB is supporting me with an Italian language course.

Despite my part-time workload, I was given the opportunity to take on the role of deputy team leader. SBB offers me a wide range of the kinds of opportunities that interest me. Being a part-time employee just means that I have to be a bit more organised.

Career and family balance.

My department, and SBB as a whole, are very accommodating, helpful and solution-focussed when it comes to my family needs. Especially when someone at home is ill, SBB makes it possible for me to be there for my family.

There are other young fathers in my team too. On the advice of my boss, I took part in a training course on the topic of fatherhood. Although I was already a father of three at the time, I found the opportunity to network and swap experiences with other fathers from SBB very enriching. I would certainly recommend this training course.

I greatly appreciated my two weeks of paternity leave and my whole family benefited in all sorts of ways. I will also be taking additional unpaid parental leave for each of my two youngest children. I will be using the first 30-day period of parental leave to go on a longer holiday together with my family. Next year, I will take my second 30-day period of parental leave in the form of individual days off. This will allow me to take on more responsibility for looking after the children whilst my wife uses this time to concentrate on completing her studies.

SBB offers me another advantage: I receive above-average child allowance. For a young family like us this is, of course, very welcome.

Personal benefits.

Thanks to my employment at SBB, my wife and I benefit from a discounted 1st class GA Travelcard. My eldest son also receives travel discounts. This summer we are also planning an ambitious family trip using public transport. Thanks to SBB, we can even benefit from international travel discounts.

Whether when shopping or having a coffee, I also benefit from a wide range of SBB offers when I’m out and about. In future, I would also like to take advantage of discounted museum tickets and other SBB leisure travel offers.

Future opportunities.

With the «Flexa» future model I save both time and money. I invest part of my 13th month’s salary in my record of hours worked. My personal goal is to prepare myself for future projects or to take a sabbatical at some point.